Introducing myself

Hi,

I wanted to introduce myself as one of the bloggers contributing to PrimeTimeJesus. Thanks to Darrell Bock for this opportunity. I do hope that I will be able to make some small contribution. So let me tell you a little about myself.

I completed my PhD at the University of Sheffield almost 20 years ago. The broad field was historical Jesus, but the focus of my study was on understanding John the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism: John the Baptizer and Prophet: A Socio-historical Study.

Since then I've had the opportunity to participate in a number of historical-Jesus projects and publications. For example, I am the executive editor of the Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus, an academic journal which is now in its sixth year of publication. Occasionally I might introduce to readers of this blog some of the research that is being published there. I also am the editor of a series of scholarly books on the historical Jesus, the Library of Historical Jesus Studies which is a subset of T&T Clark's LIbrary of New Testament Studies. I also co-edited with Kathleen Corley the volume on Jesus and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ: The Film, the Gospels, and the Claims of History.

I currently have two areas of research and writing that concern the historical Jesus. First, I am writing an introduction to historical method and historiography as it relates to historical Jesus research. As well, I am completing a study on the Roman examination and crucifixion. Both of these essays contribute to a group project known as "The IBR Jesus Group." Perhaps more on that another time.

I also teach as a sessional lecturer at a couple of schools. Primarily I teach in the Religious Studies Department at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada). Currently I'm also teaching a course at Wycliffe College (Toronto, ON, Canada).

I do look forward to contributing to this blog, and interacting with you, its readers.

PS: I don't just do academic research and teaching! I'm a triathlete (training for my fifth Ironman race this coming summer), and my wife and I enjoy gourmet cooking.